Open hiring protects public

Editor’s note: This editorial has been updated to correct the duties of the comptroller.

If it were up to us, any hiring county commissioners had to approve would be conducted in public.

Last week, county commissioners approved hiring Chief Financial Officer Vicki Moore as comptroller, but not before someone raised a question about whether there was another qualified candidate.

County Commissioner Dave Nelson raised the issue and a member of the audience said he, too, heard from this person.

According to Nelson, the potential candidate didn’t get as much as a howdy from the county.

Had Moore’s selection been conducted through an open process, we’d know who else was seeking the position and their qualifications.

Nevada law requires that hiring of chief executives, such as county manager or school superintendent, or even the director of the library, be conducted in an open process.

We understand that applicants would prefer not to have their search for a new job become public. But if that’s the process, then we’re sure those folks who are truly interested will adapt. We’re not sure we’d want to hire someone who didn’t understand that the keyword in “public position” is “public,” anyway.

That process has gone forward without a public search before, which should leave county residents wondering about the one who got away.